The word from within the corridors of power at Old Trafford is that Manchester United are so happy with Louis van Gaal’s progress at the club that they would actually like to extend the Dutchman’s contract beyond 2017. Really?

The Glazer family must surely be re-considering that opinion this morning with their team cast out of the Champions League spotlight and into the shadows of the much-derided Europa League.

Oh, the pain. The embarrassment. The Thursday night football.

Louis van Gaal holds his head in his hand as he watches his side crash out of the Champions League

The Dutchman can only watch on as United lost to Wolfsburg and were left to go into the Europa League

Van Gaal talks to Ryan Giggs as he tries to find a solution, but he was powerless to change the outcome

Quite where this leaves Van Gaal’s much-vaunted ‘process’ is anyone’s guess. United have not spent nearly £250million in just 17 months under him to go out of the Champions League before the serious business began.

As if their exit was not bad enough, it came in one of the easiest groups in the competition. Had Van Gaal been given a pick of group opponents in August after pre-qualifying with a two-legged victory over Bruges, he could not have done much better than choose PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg who, let’s not forget, had never previously qualified for the knockout stage of this competition before.

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‘You don’t have an excuse anymore, you have to win, that’s what I’ll tell the players,’ said Van Gaal before kick-off.

There are no excuses this morning. No hiding place.

United's players, led by captain Chris Smalling, troop off after the final whistle and their early exit

Marouane Fellaini looks dejected as an injury-hit United gave up a goal moments after scoring

Faced with a defensive injury crisis, Van Gaal chose to give a full debut to Guillermo Varela at right-back and switch Matteo Darmian to the left instead of using Paddy McNair or Ashley Young.

When Darmian limped off injured before half-time, he reached for another rookie in Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.

Desperate for a goal to salvage the situation, he replaced Juan Mata with Nick Powell, a man whose only appearance for United in the last three years came in a Capital One Cup defeat to MK Dons more than 15 months ago.

When United needed to rouse themselves from the mediocrity of recent months, they simply fell apart. It was a shambles. The tactics, the substitutions, you name it.

But their Champions League campaign didn’t founder over 90 minutes here in Lower Saxony, it has been wobbling from the start.

Luke Shaw’s horrific broken leg overshadowed the opening defeat in Eindhoven, but it was a defeat all the same and a damaging one at that.

Naldo, who scored in both halves of the game, wheels away in celebration after the crucial late goal

United found themselves in the midst of a defensive crisis, and Van Gaal was forced to turn to rookies

Van Gaal’s team were then somewhat fortunate to come from behind to beat Wolfsburg in their second game before a draw in Moscow and Wayne Rooney’s late winner at home to CSKA appeared to have put them back on course.

But the implications of an awful stalemate at home to Eindhoven a fortnight ago became clear in Germany with Van Gaal’s side needing a win to be sure of going through to the last 16.

They couldn’t do it despite taking the lead through Anthony Martial, and now the inquests begin.

They will not be limited to United’s shortcomings in Europe. Van Gaal’s team have slipped to fourth in a decidedly iffy Premier League and gone out of the Capital One Cup to Middlesbrough.

There are rumblings on the terraces over the stifling football being served up by a club that had entertainment at its very heart and soul.

Van Gaal’s style of management is proving no more popular with his players behind the scenes. Too strict, too regimented, too boring.

Sir Alex Ferguson watches on from the stands as his former team were knocked out in the group stages

The United board feel that Van Gaal shows leadership like Ferguson did, but he is not seeing the same results

The 64-year-old insists that he is a communicator not a dictator, but the noises coming out of Carrington tell a different story.

Yet still the powers-that-be are impressed with his leadership. They like Van Gaal’s dominant personality, and his ability to make the big calls swiftly and decisively. They point to his handling of fellow Dutchman Robin van Persie’s departure from Old Trafford last summer as an example of his strong leadership.

There is no doubt that he has brought a presence back to the United dugout sorely missing when David Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson. Nor can you question his experience.

But, make no mistake, there will be questions asked after this. Among the fans, in the dressing-room, maybe even in the boardroom.

The decision to replace quality and experience with young and untested players raised eyebrows

Given Pep Guardiola’s rumoured preference for United ahead of Manchester City, some supporters will ask why the Glazers would not attempt to at least consider bringing in the Spaniard at some point in the future when Van Gaal has already stated that he will leave when his contract runs out in 2017 to honour a promise to his wife Truus.

He wants to retire to his ‘paradise’ in Portugal. United still think he can persuaded to stay longer. After this, some will ask if it’s worth the effort.